Miss America at two Kalamazoo Wal-Mart Supercenter stores

Jill McLane Baker | Kalamazoo GazetteMiss America Kirsten Haglund, of Farmington Hills, Mich., listens to Brooke Wheatley, 4, of Parchment, as Haglund signs an autograph for her Thursday afternoon. Haglund made an appearance at the Gull Rd. Wal-Mart to sign autographs and take pictures with customers in order to raise awareness about the Rainbow Connection, a non-profit which grants special wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Miss America visited the West 9th Street store in the morning. Diet Rite, one of Miss America's sponsors, will be working with Wal-mart to donate money to the Rainbow Connection from each case of Diet Rite sold until the end of the year. The Gull Rd. Wal-Mart sponsored the wish of A.J. McNeal, 7 of Kentwood, who will be going to Disney World with his family in August.